A dedicated team of fire officers has been formed in Bradford to tackle West Yorkshire's soaring Arson problem.

Seven officers have formed an Arson Reduction Team whose aim is to educate people and demonstrate the consequences of arson.

Last year there were 1,884 vehicle fires in the Bradford area compared with 747 in Kirklees, 500 in Calderdale and 589 in Wakefield.

There were also more than 2,000 rubbish blazes started by firebugs in Bradford.

Station Officer Richard Brabbs, who leads the West Yorkshire-wide team based at the brigade's community fire safety department at Nelson Street fire station, said car fires were occurring for a number of reasons, including joyriders setting light to them to destroy evidence and people setting them on fire to avoid having to pay for them to be scrapped.

"The team has been set up in recognition of the fact that 82 per cent of all fires in West Yorkshire are deliberately started and Bradford's figures reflect that," he said.

"It has steadily increased over the years but has recently shown a much more dramatic increase, linked to vehicle fires."

The team will form links with other agencies - such as Youth Offending Teams, community and youth groups and schools - to make youngsters realise the consequences of their actions. Officers are also hoping to work with local authorities to get abandoned vehicles removed within 24 hours or less and settees, rubbish and refuse cleared up as soon as possible.

"There is almost an acceptance that kids will set fire to things and don't think it is a crime," said Mr Brabbs, "We won't tolerate this any longer and are treating it extremely seriously."

Fire investigation officer Chris Clarke said the four wards recording the most offences of arson were Bowling, Tong, Little Horton and University.

"Recently, there has been a big problem in Otley so, as well as concentrating on those four wards, if we started to see problems in other areas such as Otley, we would put the appropriate resources into that area to nip the problem in the bud," said Mr Clarke.

Mr Brabbs said fire services across the country were looking for a ten per cent reduction in arsons by 2007. "Tackling these incidents is taking firefighters away from their core activity - if they are out dealing with a car fire, they can't deal with a house fire where lives could be lost," he said. Richard Brabbs is pictured, centre, with Michael Whitehead and, right, John Brownbridge of the Arson Reduction Team.